The blooming of wattles marks the beginning of spring – but did you know National Wattle Day has a historical association with Melton?
Marked last week on September 1, Wattle Day is a national celebration of the beginning of spring, where many Acacia species have bloomed with vibrant colours.
A member of the Pinkerton family – after whom Pinkerton Forest in Mount Cottrell is named – Archibald James Campbell was the proponent of an annual country-wide celebration of the wattle in 1908.
In a historical excerpt of a book by Mr Campbell featured on the Australian National Botanic Gardens website, president of the federal and South Australian Wattle Day leagues William John Sowden gives credit to Mr Campbell as a “pioneer in promoting the cult of the Wattle Blossom, particularly in the state of Victoria”.
“So long ago as the year 1899 he was the founder of a Wattle Club, and from that time onward every September he sent out invitations for a Wattle Day demonstration,” Mr Sowden wrote.
“Campbell delivered for the first time his splendid and now popular lecture, poetically entitled “Wattle Time; or Yellow-haired September,” and in that address he advocated specifically the honouring of a Wattle Day throughout Australia.”
“He had not long to wait for the realisation of his ambition in this respect; for the observance of the anniversary is already so widespread.”
